Alcatel-Lucent's optical network terminal (ONT) equipment was not considered suitable for an open access fibre deployment similar to the future NBN roll-out at a greenfield estate in Victoria, according to the project's builder.
Alcatel-Lucent's optical network terminal (ONT) equipment was not considered suitable for an open access fibre deployment similar to the future NBN roll-out at a greenfield estate in Victoria, according to the project's builder.
Victorian ICT Minister John Lenders launched the project yesterday (Credit: Liam Tung/ZDNet.com.au)
"At the moment I wouldn't touch Alcatel-Lucent because they only have a two-port ONT," said OptiComm general manager Phil Smith of the ONTs currently available from the former employer of the National Broadband Network Company's chief, Mike Quigley. Instead, the project went with NEC equipment.
Alcatel-Lucent, however, said its "I-24x" indoor ONT had four ports, and included identical features to NEC's. "We're using this ONT in numerous open access networks in Europe, where it is used explicitly because of the four ports. And of course we have more than 90 FTTP deployments worldwide, of which 75 are GPON," a spokesperson told ZDNet.com.au.
Regardless, OptiComm selected NEC's GPON equipment and four-port ONTs for the deployment to around 400 mixed residential-business sites at University Hill, located near the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University. The network supports speeds of up to 100 megabits per second and cost between $2000 and $2500 per home to install. Smith said he was confident that Alcatel-Lucent would fix the perceived problem soon.
Internet service providers which have agreed to supply services on the network include iPrimus, Adam Internet, Internode, Cirrus Communications, iiNet, Exetel and Soul-TPG. Negotiations with Optus are ongoing, while Telstra has at this stage declined to offer services on the network. The contention ratio — indicating how many users may be able to use available bandwidth simultaneously — ISPs will offer on the network will be 25:1, said Smith.
OptiComm and NEC have touted the model used at the estate as ideal for the NBN, with OptiComm's Smith claiming that Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy wants to adopt the "open access" model it had used.
The minister (for Communications) has said to me directly: 'We're going to pinch your business model'
OptiComm general manager Phil Smithus
"Certainly ours is an open access model and we're pretty certain that it's GPON technology the NBN will use. The open access model we have is what the NBN wants to move forward with. As I said, the minister (for Communications) has said to me directly: 'We're going to pinch your business model'," Smith told ZDNet.com.au yesterday.
Victorian Minister for Finance and Information and Communications Technology, John Lenders, praised the new fibre deployment at last night's launch, revealing ongoing interstate rivalry surrounding the NBN.
"The Commonwealth is rolling out Tasmania first and then coming to the mainland. They're doing Tasmania first because it doesn't have anything like University Hill or Aurora (housing estate), so they're left far behind," said Lenders.
Lenders later told ZDNet.com.au that he was in the process of setting up a meeting with NBN chief Mike Quigley.
"[Victorian Premier] John Brumby has already spoken with Mike Quigley, and we're trying to arrange a time. I'm seeing him shortly," said Lenders. "NBN headquarters is clearly an important thing. They need to be located in the best place. Melbourne, whether it is in ICT graduates, or telecommunications regulators, has a clear business case."
"The most important thing is getting high speed broadband rolled out across the country, but we clearly think Melbourne is the best place to have the headquarters," he added.
Lenders also told attendees at the launch, which included the policy advisor for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, that he was confident the NBN in Victoria would be deployed earlier than the eight years the government has said it would be delivered in.
Liam Tung attended a briefing in Victoria about the project as a guest of NEC.
